Daijiworld Media Network - Ahmedabad

Ahmedabad, Mar 30: A major illegal gun licence racket with connections beyond Gujarat has been exposed following the arrest of a notorious criminal, Ahmedabad Crime Branch officials revealed.

The investigation began with the capture of Bharat Thunga, also known as Bharat Bharwad alias Tako, who was found in possession of illegal firearms. Following his arrest, the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) and the Surendranagar Special Operations Group (SOG) launched an intensified probe into the illicit gun trade.

“In a swift three-day operation, the Surendranagar SOG team apprehended 21 individuals linked to the scam and seized 25 illegal firearms, along with fraudulent gun licences allegedly obtained from Manipur and Nagaland. Fourteen of those arrested have prior criminal records,” an official disclosed.

Investigators identified the mastermind behind the operation as Mukesh Bambha alias Mukesh Bharwad, along with his accomplices Vijay Bharwad and Haryana-based associate Shaukat. The trio is suspected of facilitating the procurement of fraudulent gun licences in exchange for hefty bribes.

“Surendranagar-based suspects obtained these licences from northeastern states, underscoring a vast interstate arms network,” the official added. Authorities are now working to dismantle the entire operation and trace its wider connections.

Meanwhile, in a separate development, Gujarat authorities uncovered a massive financial scam in March, where fraudsters duped 11,183 individuals out of approximately Rs 422 crore.

One of the cases involved a 41-year-old software developer from Ahmedabad, who lost Rs 65.52 lakh to cybercriminals. He was deceived by an unidentified caller claiming a package with drugs and passports had been sent in his name. Under pressure, he transferred nearly all his savings, believing he was under investigation.

Law enforcement agencies have vowed strict action against those involved in both the illicit arms trade and financial frauds.